The Dawn Of The Children.
By Airrizzon.
This fanfic takes place one Decacycle after the Avalon crash landed on earth. Lately it seems that all the children of P.E.L.M. are just a little more on edge than usual, and that the cycle of life shall soon show it's beginning and end.
Screams and pain flashed through Blaze's mind and body. She saw herself running through the halls of a dark ship that was only lit by the eerie light of hot, red magma.
"Cronose! Where are you?" A set of strange optics grew bigger and seemed to envelop her. She was suddenly face to face with Rampage. All of her fear and pain disappeared. They stood silent for a few moments.
"I'm glad to see you found your way out Mystic, but I warn you now, never come to this place." To anyone else, Rampage's tone of voice would have sounded out of place with kindness, but this was Blaze and Cronose's closest friend, and he could never project fear into her spark.
"I have to find Cronose. He's trapped somewhere in here." She said in a calm voice, but Rampage shook his head sadly.
"You are right old friend, he is trapped. Trapped in the rage that Megatron poured into him. Trapped in his own spark." He looked at her sadly as his words sunk into her. "A Maximal cannot open his Spark anymore, only a Predicon. I shall awaken him myself, and hope that he has better luck escaping Megatron than I have had.
Suddenly, Rampage disappeared, and a black dragon flew toward her. "GET OUT!"
"Cronose!" Blaze bolted up and began breathing very fast. She knew that what she saw was not just a dream. Rampage had really warned her, and if given the chance, Cronose would really kill her.
Airazor woke up to the gentle sound of Tigatron breathing. She was wide awake, but didn't want to move. Too many things had happened ever since the energon wave that brought Leppender into their lives. Tigatron's declaration of his love for her, Waspinator's rape, finding Mystic, who was now known as Blaze.
Oh, why can't those damn Preds spend a few Decacycles jerking themselves off. I could really use a vacation.
Just then, for some unknown reason, Airazor suddenly felt like she was going to vomit. She sat up quickly to try to get to a bathroom, but that was a big mistake. As soon as she sat up, her stomach contents came up with her.
"Airazor? Are you sick? Do you need me to get Rinox?" She heard Tigatron only vaguely while she puked, but when she began to dry heave she shook her head.
"I don't... know... what... caused this." She said between her stomach spassums. She suddenly felt very cold and her lower back throbbed. When the convulsions stopped she laid back down exhausted, and looked into a pair of worried green tiger eyes. "Get Rinox." She finally nodded.
He jumped of the bed, and ran out of the room. He could have just used the comlink. She shook her head and fought down another wave of nausea. Maybe it's better this way. I don't want everyone to know I'm sick.
As she thought that, Tigatron had just skidded to a halt in front of Rinox's private quarters. He transformed and banged on the door.
A very tired looking, and annoyed Rinox opened the door. "(Yawn) Do you have any idea what time it is Tigatron?"
"Sorry," he stammered. "but Airazor is sick. She just vomited all over the floor in our quarters. I sense that something is very wrong with her."
Rinox looked at him worried. Tigatron never used his powers just for play, and if he said that he "sensed" something was wrong, then something definitely was wrong. "Let me get my medicine kit."
Minutes later Rinox was in their quarters scanning Airazor He'd kicked Tigatron out of the room saying "It's never easy to see someone you love being diagnosed, and I can't work with you hovering like a bee over a flower."
It seemed to take a very long time for Rinox to reappear, but when he did his expression was unreadable. "Sit down Tigatron" He obeyed nervously, dreading the news. "Now it's not every day that this happens to someone, and when it does it makes it even more of a shock." He clenched and unclenched his hands before he continued. "Airazor is pregnant. Your going to be a father in approximately another three Decacycles Tigatron"
It was a good thing Tigatron was sitting, because if he'd been standing, he probably would have hurt himself when he fainted.
Two Decacycles later...
Cheetor sat on his bed thinking. How could Rattrap have been the assassin? I knew when I left Cybertron that I was being stalked by someone, but Rattrap?
He remembered all to well the day that his manager had brought him the letter that threatened his life. He had been told to stay in his mansion, and not to leave even for his movie premier. He'd snuck out with the help of one of his butlers, and went to the ship docks on Cybertron to sign up for the Axalon mission. He'd told Optimus that his name was Spade, and that he'd piloted a battle ship before. It was a half truth. He'd piloted a model of one in one of his movies.
Now he was a missing person on Cybertron, and he had 30,000,000,000 sitting in a bank account, without even a statement or will to say how it should be spent. He knew how he wanted it spent.
He got up and turned on his visual recorder. "I'm making this statement not just for the Maximals that I serve with, but for all of Cybertron when this crew makes it home, whether I'm with them or not. This is my will..."
Cronose had made quite the impression on the Predicon fleet. After a little bit of awkwardness, everyone had either come to respect or fear him, but he wasn't content. Something more than the Maximal's torture haunted him. He knew there was something wrong with him, something missing.
"You aren't a Predicon Cronose!" He turned around in shock and saw Rampage standing behind him.
"What are you talking about, you filthy little crab. Go crawl under the rock you came out of." He said, refusing to show the fear that nestled inside him at Rampage's statement.
"But it's true isn't it? You were a Maximal. Look inside yourself for truth of the memories you hold. Look for who truly tortured you. Find your telepathic powers once more, the ones that had both you and I locked away in P.E.L.M!"
At his words, something in his mind tried to break free, but before it could Rampage fell over surging with energy. "So you traitorous crab!" Megatron appeared out of the darkness, with Scorpinok and Inferno at his side. "You dare fill a tortured mind with such nonsense as to corrupt him. I knew I should never have kept your spark." Megatron was fuming. "For your treachery, you shall be suspended over the lava pits, until I can find a way to destroy your spark!"
"Wait Megatron, something doesn't seem right." He turned to look at Cronose. "He said this word, and it almost reminded me of something. If he knows something the Maximals made me lose, then let him live long enough to help me find it!"
Megatron glared at him. "Has he corrupted you to a point of thinking you're someone else? A Maximal perhaps? I think that you must remember how ruthless they really are. You and Rattrap are to go on a mission to assault their base."
Cronose began to panic. "No Megatron, please don't..."
"Silence Cronose." Megatron interrupted. "You've been very loyal up to now, so don't make me think otherwise of you. You will assault their base, and get over your fear of them." He paused, then added in a parental tone of voice. "I am only trying to help you regain what you lost and become a better man Cronose. You wouldn't turn away my help, would you?"
Put that way, Cronose felt guilty about his fear. He didn't realize that by pretending that he was concerned, Megatron had him wrapped around his little finger. "I'm sorry Megatron. Your right. You are truly a great commander for showing me compassion, and helping me. Forgive my ignorance sir. Surely you know what is best for all of us."
"Don't listen to him you fool! Can't you see what he's doing to you?" Rampage cried in desperation, but Megatron signaled his two right hand men to take him away. Rampage's voice echoed through the base. "How can you forget us! Sonar, Trioptica, Stellar, and Mystic! How could you forget us all!" To the rest of the Predicons, his words sounded insane, but to Cronose something stirred within his spark.
Airazor strained as another contraction started, this one worse than the last. Tigatron paced their quarters in beast mode. "This isn't happening, this cannot be happening, it's too soon!"
"It can and it is happening Tigatron This kid's commin' whether we're ready or not." She shouted at him, feeling a little annoyed. "If you think you're uncomfortable, think of how I'm feeling. I've gotta push this thing out in beast mode!"
All the Maximals had gathered inside their quarters for the event. Blaze was really excited. Suddenly the world faded away from her.
She was hanging upside down, suspended over a lava pit.
"Mystic!" She looked around and realized that she was on solid ground, and that it was Rampage who was hanging over a Lava pit.
"Rampage, what happened to you?"
He looked at her sadly. "I've failed Mystic. I couldn't open his spark, and now I will be executed for treason!"
"Not if I can help it. Us P.E.L.M. kids stick together. Besides, Sonar would never forgive me if I let you join her so soon. I'm coming to rescue you Rampage!"
Before he could object she pulled herself out of her trance, and returned to her body. She looked around and caught a glimpse of Cheetor turning away from her. Don't worry freckles. I'll be gone next time you turn around. Blaze edged to the wall and slipped out of Airazor's quarters.
Her assumption was almost right. Cheetor turned to look for her, and saw her just as she slipped out of the room. He'd seen her go into her trance, and by the look on her face something was very wrong. He didn't know when he followed her, or even considered, that they were going into the heart of the Predicon base.
Blaze flew as fast as her wings could carry her toward the Predicon base. She only vaguely noticed the gray clouds beginning to gather above her . Her mind was to occupied to give them a second thought. Don't worry Rampage, I'm coming to get you. First I'll steal back your spark from Megatron, then I'll head for the lava pits and cut you down. I'll bring you back to base, and then I'll tell Optimus that you're a good Maximal, and you'll be able to see Trioptica and Stellar.
Suddenly, the clouds unleashed their bounty and caught Blaze off guard. Her body began to sizzle and smoke, and she felt her strength failing. Her fire made feathers were extinguishing themselves in the downpour. Her world began to grow dark.
"B-b-b-blaze M-maxim..." before she could finish stating the activation code, her mind went blank and she fainted.
Cheetor, who had managed to stay just out of detection range saw her begin to fall. "No way I'm letting you go that easy!" He shouted as he pulled into a dive. The wind and pellet-like rain rushed into his optics as he raced toward her falling form, but he ignored it and pushed himself on. She was only 500 feet from the ground when he swooped beneath her, and clutched her against his chest in an effort to minimize the amount of rain washing over her limp form.
Airazor was thrashing madly, the pain wrenching her almost constantly seeped through her back, stomach, and vaginal area which had only dilated three centimeters in twelve megacycles. "Ohhh, will this thing ever come out!"
"Humph," snorted Dinobot. "A true warrior would never display their pain in such a pitiful manor."
"Shut up fossil brain! Here I am trying to squeeze out something just under one quarter my size through a three centimeter wide hole, and your telling me NOT to show my pain! Blaze how about you teleport this kid into Dinobot and see if HE can do it!"
Airazor looked over to where she had seen Blaze standing only ten cycles ago. She looked at the corner where she had just been standing and couldn't find her. "Where's Blaze?"
Everyone looked around the room but she was nowhere in sight. "Cheetor's missing too." growled Dinobot.
"They both can't be gone!" Said Tigatron in a distressed tone of voice.
"Don't worry Tigatron" Optimus said from next to Rinox. "Laybor isn't an easy thing to watch, and their both still young. Maybe they just can't stand to watch Airazor go through this any more."
"You gotta get them back in here!" Cried Airazor "They can't miss the birth. They're gonna be our kid's God-parents."
Everyone turned in shock to look at them. A long silence followed Airazor's words.
"I thought you would want Leppender to be a God-mother." Said Blackarachnia, breaking the silence.
"They had offered me the job, but I turned it down." She responded. "I had told them that becoming a close aunt was good enough for me."
Rinox rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "It is tradition to have God-parents present at a birth, and I know that the two of them alone can comfort Airazor and Tigatron much better than anyone who isn't blood related.
"I shall search for the pair of them." Dinobot volunteered. He still felt obligated to protect Cheetor, especially from the fiery young woman who had kicked him in the gonads as soon as she arrived.
"Please Dinobot," Airazor said in a very strained voice. "Don't tell them that they're about to be God-parents."
"I'll leave that to you Mommy."
Cheetor sat in front of Blaze, pleading desperately for her feather flames to return, and for her to awaken. "I know you'd never leave Tigatron and Airazor to sneak out of the base unless it was important. If you don't wake up soon, we'll never finish whatever it is you had to do, and get back to base in time for the birth." He closed his optics, and pressed his face against his paws, so he didn't see that she had regained consciousness.
"I don't know what I did when we first met to make you hate me so much, I just wanted to help you." He chuckled to himself. "I never even heard the word pervert before, so I actually had to ask Dinobot what the word meant." She cocked her head closer to him to hear better.
"Tigatron had told me all of the things those... monsters did to women at P.E.L.M. Even though I'll admit I was attracted to you since I first saw you, I knew that unless I was kind to you, and let you know that I was there for you, you'd never like me in that way. I was just trying to show you that you could lean on me, use me as your support, until someday you decided whether or not you just wanted to be friends, or more."
He looked up and saw Blaze staring at him with tears in her eyes. "Is that why you followed me? To be my support? Even after the way I've treated you?"
"Yes."
"Oh Cheetor!" She sobbed as she unfolded her wings to welcome his embrace in beast mode. "I never hoped to even dream that I'd hear a man say such words of compassion to me. I want to care about you, but so much happened to me at P.E.L.M. that I don't think I can feel that way for anyone anymore."
He held her close. Even though her body was now covered in flames once more, Cheetor was surprised to find that she didn't burn him. "When the day comes that you can care for a man in that way, you know I'll be waiting." She nodded into his chest. "And until that day, I'll still be here as your pillar of strength, to lean on when you need me."
The rain had finally stopped. She looked up at him still puffy eyed from crying. "If you're gonna support me, then I should probably tell you what kind of mission we're going on."
As she explained the situation to him, she read his body language. He seemed nervous, but confident. She read his mind and found only love, and loyalty toward her. He would follow her to the Matrix and back if she asked him to.
Dinobot had searched the entire base and still couldn't find even a trace of Cheetor and Blaze. He went to the bridge and decided to use the scanners to see if they had gone outside. He was a little annoyed at Cheetor for leaving without telling him.
He didn't expect the scanners to pick up on them quickly, so he was quite surprised when the computer spoke right away. "Units Cheetor and Blaze found in grid Delta ,coordinates 394-736."
"But that's practically at the Predicon's front gate! What are those slagging kids doing out there?" He had just turned around to leave when he heard the distinct sound of a rocket launcher, and felt the base shake from it's impact.
"Alert, Predicon attack. Identifying unit Rattrap, and unknown signature."
Back in Airazor's quarters, the Maximals all heard the warning and rushed from the room, only leaving Rinox, Optimus, Tigatron, and Airazor
Optimus turned to face Rinox. "Keep Airazor calm and try to deliver their baby safely. I'll take everyone else and mount a counter attack."
Suddenly Airazor made her most blood curdling scream yet, and a warm, clear fluid gushed from between her legs. "You'd better hurry back. Now that her water's broken, this kid will be along shortly.
Optimus ran to the bridge to lead the Maximals outside, and became enraged to find that neither Cheetor or Blaze had arrived. He glanced in Dinobot's direction, and caught a look that told him that they were gone.
The Maximals transformed into their most dangerous forms, and ran outside to greet battle.
Cheetor and Blaze looked at the Predicon base with apprehension. With a nod of agreement they slowly crept toward the ship, keeping a sharp eye open in case of sensors. After what seemed like an eternity, they huddled together next to an air duct.
Cheetor leaned close to Blaze to speak. "I heard there's floor triggers in these ducts, so we're gonna have to be careful."
She nodded and crawled into the shaft with Cheetor right behind her. This is taking far too long! I've gotta find some way to pick up the pace. When they hit a two way fork Blaze had an idea. "Cheetor, you take the left tunnel to look for Rampage, and I'll take the right and find his spark."
Cheetor cocked his eyebrow. "Are you sure you wanna do that in here? Something could happen."
"We can both take care of ourselves right?" She sensed his indecision and frustration, but it was quickly overcome by a wave of undying love for her. She felt his love and her spark melted with a feeling she didn't know existed, yet somehow flowed alongside his emotions.
"Alright. I'll go look for Rampage." He turned into the left tunnel and crawled toward a glowing red light. After what seemed like an eternity he reached a grate. He looked through it and saw the lava pits. Suspended perhaps fifty feet above it was Rampage.
"Hope nobody else is down there." He whispered to himself. He tried to look for a sign of any other Predicons, but the small grate was barely big enough for him to squeeze through in beast mode, let alone see anything other than what was in front of him. He shrugged and kicked the grate. It fell into the lava pits and Rampage turned to see what happened.
"What in the inferno are YOU doing here? Get out before I blast you." He yelled to Cheetor.
"Shh! I'm here to help you." Cheetor noticed a panel on the wall next to him, transformed and started fiddling with the wires, hoping he could figure out how to get one of the hover lifts to come to him. "Blaze is here too. She's gonna find your spark so you can escape with us"
One of the lifts on the other side of the room started to hum, then it raced toward Cheetor, barely missing Rampage's head. "Watch it you tin lion! You trying to rescue me or kill me?"
Cheetor jumped onto the lift and maneuvered it toward Rampage. "For your information, I'm a cheetah, and if you don't shut up the Preds'll hear us!"
"Oh it's too late for you to worry about that pussy cat." They both turned at the sound of Megatron's voice. "As a matter of fact, I'm getting tired of having prisoners. I think it's time I have some casualties, yeees!"
Megatron reached into his chest plate and pulled out Rampage's spark. He squeezed the cage and watched with satisfaction as Rampage twitched in agony. "Don't worry Rampage. I guaranty that it won't hurt anymore, until you reach the pit!" With an angry gesture he threw Rampage's spark into the lava pit.
"Ahhhh! Sonar! Are you watching me Sonar? I'll be there with you soon! You won't be alone up there anymore!" Rampage cried in agony as his body shot red sparks in all directions. Cheetor stepped back to avoid being hit by them, but he'd forgotten that he wasn't on the ground. He was falling. It took only three seconds for him to hit the ground, but that three seconds had been a lifetime. He felt a searing pain shoot through his legs, and up to his abdomen. He passed out without even realizing that his lower half was slowly sinking into the lava pit.
The Maximals gave a triumphant cry as the intruders fled. Dinobot shoved his way toward Optimus and pulled him aside. "Optimus, I detected Cheetor and Blaze on the scanners just before the attack. They're at the Predicon base!"
Optimus's optics narrowed dangerously. "Are you sure." He barely waited for Dinobot's nod before turning to the rest of his crew. "Follow them! Cheetor and Blaze are at their base! Let's go, Go, GO!"
It only took a split second for his words to sink into the others. Those who could fly, hit the skies, while the rest of them clung to the fliers.
"Optimus to Rinox. Blaze and Cheetor somehow managed to get to the Predicon base. The rest of us are heading there now."
"Copy that Optimus" Rinox looked at the horror stricken face of his niece and the man she loved. When her birth canal dried up and the contractions did not seem to widen it, he told them that he would have to perform surgery to deliver their baby safely. Now the two people they needed the most were in real danger.
"Rinox, can you hold out on the surgery until they get here?" Airazor cried with words and tears.
"If we hold out much longer your baby might be a stillborn." When he saw the looks of terror on their faces he refrained from mentioning that their child may already be a stillborn.
Blaze sat in the air duct across from the Predicons. Rampage. Dead. Cheetor. Dying. All she could do was sit in the air duct, and wait until the Predicons left. It was too late for her dear friend Rampage. His spark had already rejoined Sonar's up in the Matrix, but Cheetor was still alive. She had to cling to that last hope. Cheetor loved her. In all fairy tail stories didn't the injured prince jump back up, slaughter his enemies, and sweep the fair maiden off to their own happily ever after ending? If Primus made him love her, shouldn't he live to proclaim his love?
She was suddenly torn from her thoughts by the sound of pounding footsteps. The other Predicons optics turned toward the source of the noise, and Blaze followed suit. Rattrap ran into the main room followed by a bot that resembled a black dragon. "Cronose!" She whispered in shock.
"Megatron, the Maximals followed us back. They're practically here!" He said stooping into low bow at Megatron's feet.
"Get outside! Don't let them in here." The rest of the Predicons ran outside, but Cronose strolled over to Cheetor's limp form, an evil sneer marring his face.
"Stupid Maximal." His breath quickened, his spark pounded in his chest. "It's because of your kind I suffer, your kind I cannot remember my life before here." He looked at the air vent where Blaze crouched and smiled malevolently. "But I still carry some form of psychic power little Maximal, enough to sense the likes of you." He glared at her. "You were like me weren't you? Brought back online after some kind of crash? How do you know you can trust your companions?" His smile widened. "You can return to your friends and tell them their fate, for it is the same as this lad's. Beast mode!" He growled as he looked at Cheetor, licking his gums.
Before Blaze thought to look away his tongue wrapped around the neck of the only man who loved her, and pulled him into his mouth. She tore her gaze away from that sickening scene but she could not close her audio receivers to the squelching and grinding noises of Cheetor being devoured by those powerful jaws.
"I will let you leave here little Maxie, but remember my power." She spared a glance at him. His tail slowly disappeared in one of the hallways, and a few bluish blotches stained the ground where Cheetor had drawn his last breath. Shaking, she stumbled toward the grate. She knew that even if she couldn't bring Cheetor's body home, Rampage would be laid to rest as befitted a Maximal hero. She transformed and flew over to him. Her hands shook as she untied his bonds. She looked around and sighed. It didn't matter if the Predicons discovered her now, and she could still hear her comrades as they battled outside.
She shifted her hold on Rampage's corpse enough to pull out her blaster, and shot a hole through the ceiling of the Predicon base. Under any other circumstances the expressions of both factions would have been comical. Perhaps if she and Cheetor could have triumphantly carried Rampage out, whole in spark and body, or if she had even been able to define to herself that those feelings she felt the last time she had spoken to Cheetor face to face was love, then perhaps this would have felt like a wonderful holiday.
In their shock neither Predicons or Maximals exchanged fire while she descended toward Optimus and Leppender. Leppender met her and cradled Rampage in her arms, shedding silent tears, while Optimus approached Blaze with a stony expression. "Cheetor?" He asked, optics threatening tears.
"They didn't even leave us his body to bury." at that Optimus collapsed on his knees and buried his face in his hands. "It's all my fault Optimus! When I found out he was following me I let him come along."
By this point the Predicons had resumed their assault on the Maximals, but none of them cared, they just sat behind the stones they used as cover and grieved. Finally Optimus turned to his grim troops. "Let's return to base. We have no reason to fight right now."
Rinox reached into the incision made in Airazor's stomach, and pulled out the warm fuzzy mass. At first he feared the worst, but he put his finger in the baby's mouth and pulled out the birth mucus. He felt a slight movement near the ribs, the first inhalation of breath, then he heard a small mewling sound, which quickly became a squalling cry.
"Our baby?" Tigatron asked enthusiastically.
"It's a Girl Tigatron, and a very healthy one I might add." He chuckled as the kitten/chick scratched his arm. Her body was basically tiger, but she had a set of wings and instead of fur she had feathers, not to mention the replacement of claws for talons.
After Rinox washed her off, and lay her in her mother's wings, he approached Airazor's abdomen with a thought of removing the placenta. As he pulled it out of her stomach he noticed another ball of bloody fuzz. He reached for it and knew as soon as he touched it that it was dead. No baby was completely stiff and lived.
He turned to his niece to tell her when a warm bright light filled the room. He heard Airazor gasp in shock, and then a familiar bubbling laughter overwhelmed the trio. In that instant happiness and love were both tangible objects. Then just as suddenly as it happened the light disappeared.
Rinox felt something warm moving in his arms. He looked down and a brown and beige tiger with hawk eyes, wings and feathers looked up at him solemnly. He turned the infant in his arms so he could determine the sex. "Airazor? You have a son too!"
The new parents looked at him in surprise then Tigatron walked up to him in beast mode, and as Rinox lowered his arms Tigatron nuzzled his son, blood and all.
The somber little group returned to their base, oblivious to everything around them. When they entered the main room Rinox smiled at them all. "Looks like you missed the miracle. A darling little girl and a bouncing baby boy!" He glanced around. Something was very wrong. Leppender and Blaze laid Rampage on the main table, and Rinox realized the absence of someone very special. "Where's Cheetor?"
Blaze gave a great, gasping sob, Dinobot twitched at the sound of his name and continued to stare stonily ahead, and Optimus walked over to Rinox and put his hand on his shoulder. "He's with Primus now." The usually stoic leader replied with a cracking voice.
Rinox stood stunned for a moment, then something that had been nagging at him slid into place. "That laugh!" He ran toward the living area, with the rest of the crew on his heels. They ran into the quarters of the new family, and Tigatron looked up at them slightly annoyed. "They're sleeping right now. Could you come back in a few hours?"
Rinox didn't even answer, he just walked toward Airazor and picked up her son. The babe opened his eyes and mewled questioningly at him. Rinox pulled out his med-scanner and examined the child. "His spark carries the same energy signature as Cheetor!"
Airazor had woken up when he took her child. "What do you mean? He's Tigatron's son, not Cheetor's." She said, then noticing his absence a terrifying possibility grabbed hold of her. Tigatron had reached the same conclusions, but didn't want to face them. Cheetor was like his own son. He protected him, guided him. They couldn't be implying what he thought they were.
"He's dead Airazor But there's something else you need to know." Rinox began. "Before we were hit with that strange laughing light, I'd discovered that your son was a stillborn. When the light disappeared he was alive and healthy." Everyone turned to stare at the brown ball that Rinox was cradling, and were given an innocent stare back.
"If Cheetor's not in there I'll eat my sword" Dinobot said in amazement.
Blaze looked down at the tiny puff ball. Tentatively, she put her hand near him and was both surprised and pleased when he reached a small paw toward her and curled it around her first finger. Her spark constricted in her chest, and a sob escaped her lips. "I'm sorry. I do love you! I was just scared Cheetor, and now I'm not even sure if you remember me."
The kitten looked at her with Airazor's green eyes and mewled questioningly, like he could understand, but didn't know what she was talking about.
"Maybe when he grows up he'll remember us. Until then we shouldn't push him. He'll remember in his own time." Leppender said.
The others nodded in agreement, but it was obvious that even Cheetor's reincarnation couldn't make them feel better about losing the bot that he was, and may never be again.
Dinobot wasn't enjoying his duties today. Even though he had promised Optimus that he would save everyone else the trouble, and sort through Cheetor's belongings he didn't like it. The fact that he knew that he owed it to the child did nothing to calm him. His spark had already been torn to shreds these past few days, but with each item he put in a box he felt it rip even more.
It wasn't just Cheetor's death he realized, but now he knew that when he finally returned to Cybertron he would have to say goodbye to his wife too. He had planned to eventually tell Optimus about her, in hopes that they could schedule their arrival back home in time to be able to find the cure. Now it didn't matter when they got home. He grieved over both of them.
"Even here he did not want to clean up after himself. A rich kid to the end" He muttered with a grim smile and continued picking up some scraps of garbage off of his computer table. Under an old field report was a data disk. He picked it up and froze when he read the label. "My last will and testament. By Diamond, A.K.A. Cheetor." Cradling it in his hands he walked out of the cat's room and headed for the main room.
Optimus was holding a meeting with the rest of the fleet, trying to decide how best to pay tribute to their dear friend. "I still think he deserves to have a statue made of him." Blaze argued loudly. Tigatron, and Airazor nodded in agreement, the later holding Cheetor's new form Hawkeye and his sister Talon.
"We don't have the resources to build one, and besides, even if we did the Predicons would just destroy it. Dinobot, do you have any suggestions?" Optimus asked him.
"I have one. We see what he has to say on the matter." Everyone looked at the baby now becoming more comfortable with the new name Hawkeye. Dinobot walked right past the babies, only briefly rubbing their heads as he walked by, and put a disk in the main computer. Cheetor looked at them all through the screen.
"I'm making this statement not just for the Maximals that I serve with, but for all of Cybertron when this crew makes it home, whether I'm with them or not. This is my will. My real name is Diamond. I'm really just a movie star. If any of you guys ever watched 'There's A Space Cockroach In The Air Ducts' or 'My C.R Chamber's Baking Energon Cookies' then you might know me from Cybertron. On board the Axalon I had many friends, and I finally found the meaning of true happiness and love. I hope that you don't grieve too much for me, cuz I'll always be around, even if you can't see me. Back on Cybertron I've got 30,000,000,000.00 in my bank. When you get back find an accountant named Goldrush, and play this for him as proof of what you'll all get. Don't worry Goldie, just sell my house and everything I own, and split it with my servants, my agent, my lawyer, and make sure to take a chunk for yourself. Dinobot you live by a code of honor, and you've taught that to me, so I'm gonna do the honorable thing and give you that 5 billion."
The other Maximals turned to look at Dinobot in surprise and wonder. What great thing had he done to get that much? "When the doctors cure you wife do me one favor, take her out and give her the time of her life! Do something I would do. You know me well enough to think up a few ideas that'll make me look down and be proud. And no matter how I died don't blame yourself. You didn't fail me. How do I know? cuz your the most honorable bot I've ever met! Airazor, Tigatron, I'm recording this before you have your kid, so I don't know yet what it is, but I'm sure the two of us had tons of good memories together."
Tears streaked down Airazor's face and she held her children closer. Tigatron gazed stoically at the image of Cheetor and said, "I wish you were right little cat. I wish you were right." The image continued. "But don't worry little buddy, I'll still be lookin' out for ya, and we can all hang out again someday. In the meantime I hope 2 billion bucks sounds good to you. Optimus, you weren't just a leader, you've been a friend, a mentor, and someone to go to when I needed you most, so I'm giving you 4.5 billion. Have fun with it, buy you and Leppender a condo or something. Tigatron your like the dad I never had. Mine left me as a kid, and you took me under your wing so to speak. I want you to have 4.5 bil. too. Airazor, you're my sister, 'cept you're the smart one. You cool me down when I wanna do something stupid, and hey no one can say you're not cool, cuz you are. I'm givin' you 4.5 as well. Blaze... You're beautiful. I think I loved you from the first time I saw you. I hope by now you've started to trust me, who knows, maybe it's just my crazy imagination, but I hope we were together at the end. You know what I mean. It's for you I woke up every morning and looked forward to the day, even if it's just for a rude comment, it's from you. If you still don't like me that's o.k and I hope I didn't offend you, but you deserve to know how I really feel. I'll never forget you Blaze. In case you haven't guessed, 4.5 bil. for you too."
Leppender moved next to Blaze as she sobbed into her chest. "This can't be real." She whimpered to no one in particular. "As for the rest of you I kinda feel guilty about only giving you 2 billion each. You've all been there for me, but please understand, even though the Maximals are all family, Optimus, Dinobot, Tigatron, Airazor, and Blaze are like my close relatives. Two fathers, a brother, a sister, and the woman I love. The rest of you are like a VERY close cousin, an aunt, and two uncles. You all did just as much as everyone else, but I'm sad to say I didn't get the time to know you as well. Maybe I did, but I don't know when or even if I'll die, so I have to make this now. Please don't be mad. I know I miss you all so much, and I'll keep a few spots warm for ya. Till then just remember that you're all totally ultra gear! See ya soon."
The end.
Publisher's note: Though I am eager to continue the series, I am not sure if I can come up with more ideas. I'll try to come up with a suitable sequel to Dawn of the Children, but if not, I hope you enjoyed the story!